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The Patient and Caretakers Section

Emergency Treatment of the HyperKPP and/or PMC Attack

Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis and Paramyotonia Congenita can occur singly or in combination. 

While most attacks of Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis are brief and do not require emergency intervention, occasionally the serum potassium level will be high enough to cause cardiac distress, or muscle stiffness may interfere with respiration.  Attacks of weakness in Paramytonia Congenita are usually mild to moderate in severity, but myotonia of chest, diaphragm and throat muscles can be life-threatening under some circumstances. 

Talk to your physician 

Pursuing a Diagnosis of Periodic Paralysis:


A free workbook to download for those who are in the diagnostic process, contains information on each type of PP, diagnostic testing, available therapies, how to determine episode triggers and  work out a management plan. download here

Emergency Treatment of Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

First Actions:

  • Respiratory and cardiac arrest are possible. 
  • Call for Cardiac Monitoring/EKG
  • Draw electrolytes to determine serum K+
  • Thyroid studies
  • Provide 02 as thimble may not reflect 02 saturation due to cardiac dilitation
  • Lie patient in coma position to avoid aspiration. 

Emergency Treatment of the HyperKPP and/or PMC Attack

First Actions:

 

  • Respiratory and cardiac arrest are possible.
  • Call for Cardiac Monitoring/EKG
  • Draw electrolytes to determine serum K+
  • Provide 02 as thimble may not reflect 02 saturation 
  • Lie patient in coma position to avoid aspiration.

Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis and Paramyotonia Congenita can occur singly or in combination. 

Links out - Diagnosis and Management Information

Communication is key: Stephen Wilkins, MPH, writes of improving practice management through improved patient/physician communication and its impact on care, in Mind the Gap.

Role of Potassium in Maintaining Health


by Elson M. Haas, M.D.

Diet for Patients with HyperKPP and PMC

This information is based on diet recommendations found in many medical journal and textbook articles about Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis. (HyperKPP). According to physicians and dieticians those with HyperKPP should follow a diet which is high in carbohydrates and low in potassium. Because muscle tissue is stressed in the periodic paralyses it is also essential that patients obtain liberal amounts of high-quality protein.

Diet for Patients with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

Designed by the National Institutes of Health    

This information is based on a diet designed at the National Institutes of Health in the 1960s for a young man with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis (HypoKPP). According to the NIH physicians and dietician Mary R. Emerson, plus many other medical authorities, those with HypoKPP should follow a diet which is high in protein, low in carbohydrate, and low in sodium.

Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

Clinical Synopsis

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (THKPP) is an uncommon disorder characterized by simultaneous thyrotoxicosis, hypokalemia, and paralysis that occurs primarily in males of Asian descent, including patients of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Filipino ancestry.

Some Words For The Family

Having a family member with a chronic illness puts an enormous strain on family relationships. Everyone must adjust and learn to cope. Tasks not only must be reassigned and the household routine upset or interrupted, but additional time and energy may often be devoted to caring for the patient.

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